Sunflower Crop Rapidly Moving Forward

By CnAgri2012-09-06 19:52:11 Print

The progression to maturity of the United States sunflower crop is rapidly moving forward driven by the heat and lack of moisture, reports the National Sunflower Association.

In some areas of Western Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota where growers are desiccating, harvest could begin as early as this week. This would be the earliest harvest in recent memory, possibly ever in the major sunflower producing states in the Northern Plains.

An early harvest could bring higher yields ahead of typical fall issues such as lodging, wind damage and blackbird migration.

A warm, dry fall and desiccation could speed up that process even more.

State crop ratings are as follows: North Dakota with 5% of the crop rated as poor, 31% fair, 60% good and 4% excellent. South Dakota is reporting 13% of the crop is very poor, while 47% is poor, 25% is fair, 12% good and 3% excellent. Minnesota rates 2% of the crop at poor, 20% at fair, 63% at good and 15% at excellent. Kansas is rating 18% of its crop at very poor, 29% at poor, 44% at fair, 8% at good and 1% at excellent. Colorado rates 40% of its sunflower crop at very poor, 20% at poor, 25% at fair, 14% at good and 1% at excellent.